Advice sought on enrolments

The New Zealand Aged Care Association is seeking legal advice
on whether its members have to assist dementia and
psychogeriatric residents to enrol to vote.

Chief executive Martin Taylor said there were practical and
ethical problems with dementia and psychogeriatric patients
voting, and he felt it was a legal oversight they had not
been exempted from enrolling.

People under certain mental health legal orders were exempt,
but many dementia and psychogeriatric patients were not
subject to such orders.

Prompted by a complaint from a member, Mr Taylor contacted
the Electoral Commission and was told facilities had a duty
to assist. The issue had not cropped up before in Mr Taylor's
time as head of the organisation, spanning four election
terms.